Democratic race for governor takes shape after Tuesday's blowouts
Democratic Race for Governor takes shape after Tuesday's blowouts
Mayor Jerry Demings throws his hat into the ring to run for the Democrat nomination for the Florida Governor's race.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - As both Republicans and Democrats seek the Florida Governor's Office in the midterms, candidates are showing up early to get some name recognition and to gauge interest from the voters.
Governor Ron DeSantis is not eligible to run again when he completes his second term, so replacing him is a high priority on the "to do" list for his opposition.
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The backstory:
Jerry Demings was thrust onto a statewide stage when a terrorist attacked the Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
"This is a civilized society," he said from the scene in 2016, "and we had to deal with something unthinkable."
Mayor Jerry Demings
He ran for mayor of Orange County in 2018.
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"We wouldn't have the tremendous population growth that we have if people didn't feel this was a safe community," he said during his 2022 reelection campaign.
Is the Florida governor's seat next for him?
"In order to be efficient, federal, state and local governments have got to get on the same sheet of music," he said during an interview on Thursday.
Dig deeper:
He enters the race after a public fight with the Desantis Administration over whether sheriff's deputies should be forced to transport detainees to ICE detention centers. He was threatened with removal from office if he didn't acquiesce.
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"Yes, I signed the damn thing, because we really had to," Demings said last month.
He sees an opening for a Democrat to win the governor's office for the first time since the 1990s after Tuesday's rout of Republicans nationwide, suspecting that voters will eventually punish the party in power for their pocketbook problems.
"The average blue-collar worker doesn't have a voice that is being listened to well in our state's capital," said Demings. "So, we've got to get back to taking care of those people."
What they're saying:
He's running for the Democratic nomination against David Jolly, the former Pinellas County representative who has been holding community events statewide for months and who is also focusing on affordability.
"It's not enough to just play normal politics," said Jolly. "We've got to have solutions on taxes, on insurance, on health care and so many other things."
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While he welcomed Demings to the race, saying voters will be the ultimate deciders, he does worry that a competitive primary could force them to spend their money early.
Demings argued Democratic voters aren't yet satisfied, given Jolly is a former Republican.
"I am proud of the political journey I have made," Jolly said. "You know, a lot of times in politics people think change is a bad thing, and they use it as a cheap shot. I think change is a very good thing."
Jolly points out he's now in step with core Democratic voters on issues like abortion, gun violence and public education. Both Jolly and Demings argue this will be the year of the crossover voter, and admit it must be, if a Democrat is to win Florida.
"Culture wars have exhausted people," said Jolly, "Republicans, independents, Democrats alike."
"The only pathway to victory for me is to appeal to the broader audience," said Demings.
The other side:
Republicans in the race so far include Rep. Byron Donalds, who is endorsed by President Trump, and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner.
Governor Ron DeSantis has not yet made an endorsement.
The Source: This story was written based on live interviews with Mayor Jerry Demings.